The Howard University MBRS SCORE Program presents an innovative research development program, which focuses on a new cadre of junior biomedical scientists at Howard. The emphasis is on the initial development of interdisciplinary areas of research focus, which will catapult these new faculty into centers of research and training excellence. One focus is on human genetic variation, which is particularly significant because of the tremendous DNA sequence variation in the genomes of African-American, and other African Diaspora populations. The goal here is to provide multi-disciplinary perspectives and resources to understand human genetic variation and its implication in health and disease. The second area of focus is in the neurosciences, which from a molecular standpoint, will further develop an additional interdisciplinary group of faculty who will add research strength to an area which currently has a Neuroscience Center Grant. Also contained in this application are exciting proposals by faculties on the development of materials for an artificial kidney and a clinical molecular asthma program. This application contains both regular (16) and pilot (1) projects. The disciplines represented include biology, biochemistry, chemistry, civil engineering, microbiology, physiology, psychology and pediatrics. The goals of the Howard University SCORE Program are three-fold: 1) to provide critical institutional support for the continued development and establishment of interdisciplinary biomedical research cadres in the targeted areas of Human Genome Research and Neuroscience; 2) to improve the scientific productivity of SCORE faculty and; 3) to improve programmatic data collection, analysis, and assessment of SCORE participants and other associated university components. It is anticipated that these activities will significantly improve SCORE faculty research productivity through enhanced training, the provision of state-of-the-art equipment, technical support and the ability to bring multidisciplinary perspectives to bear upon diseases that disproportionately affect minority populations. The measurable objectives will be an increase in the number of biomedical research grant proposals, publications, and presentations, which will ultimately enhance student research training and preparation of the next generation professorate.